Danger Defined
by The Mushroom Fairy
Summary: The crew of the Enterprise visits a fobidden planet, and finds out the meaning of the word "guest" on Nnyophus. Dark and disturbing fic. Troi's POV.


**CHAPTER I.**

Nnyophus was a total mystery, a complete anonymity to the rest of the universe. The Enterprise just happened to be on her way through the Scaaliz Galaxy; the invitation from a woman named Beeta came as quite a surprise to us, but a welcome one. She hailed our ship with a friendly signal, claiming to be the young widow of the man who had been the governor of her province before his death. She had heard from passing travelers that a ship of the famous Starfleet Federation was passing by, and wanted to be friendly by showing off the hospitality of her world.

Her invitation was genuinely friendly, like a smile from an old friend. I didn't detect anything suspicious about it, and I would know: not only am I a professional counselor, but I'm half-Betazoid, so I'm telepathic. It didn't take much at all for me to convince Captain Picard that since her request seemed reasonable and her intentions honorable, a visit to Nnyophus could prove both informative and enjoyable. So we put together an away team that consisted of the captain, First Officer Will Riker, Doctor Beverly Crusher and myself. My name is Deanna Troi.

We beamed down to the coordinates Beeta had given us, and ended up just inside her home, where she alone planned to prepare a meal for a banquet to be held in our honor. The room was enormous, the ceiling at least three stories above us and made of a rounded glass dome that revealed a cloudless blue sky. The furniture was of solid color without decoration, evidently luxurious but not garish. Everything was done in delicate, soft earth tones. It was as naturally beautiful as though decorated by the forest itself.

Through a great doorway to the west came a woman that appeared to be in her early thirties, the woman we'd spoken to from the Enterprise, Beeta. "Welcome!" she smiled, coming forward to greet us. I sensed nothing but genuine friendliness and warmth from her, with and without my special abilities. She was tall, with boyishly short dark hair and bright blue eyes sparkling with excitement. She was dressed in a plain brown dress that had, like the room around us, no elaborate decoration or insignia of any kind, not a button or bow to be seen. "I'm so pleased you came!" she went on, reaching out for the captain's hand.

"It is a pleasure, Ms. Beeta," he smiled warmly in return, taking her hand to shake.

"Simply Beeta is fine," she said, smiling more widely. I could feel that, inside her mind, the captain was already an old friend. "We've no reason for formalities here, Jean-Luc, so just call me Beeta." She looked around at the rest of us, still smiling with exhilaration.

I think this was the first moment where I started to get what you might call "bad vibes" about this woman, and this place. She was friendly, but far too friendly, it was beginning to seem. I continued to smile friendily as the captain introduced all of us, but it was somewhat unnerving to sense nothing but calm in all of my companions. I hardly felt it appropriate or proper for a strange woman on an unknown planet to be speaking with the captain of the USS Enterprise on a first-name basis after so short an acquaintance. It didn't seem right. I didn't like it.

The captain, however, was as polite and calm and friendly as the rest of the crew, smiling and laughing as though we'd all known Beeta for as long as time itself had existed. And they weren't just pretending.

"I'll take you all to the kitchen now, so you can choose your meal," the lady said, smiling warmly. "It's just this way."

We followed Beeta into what actually looked like a market. There were shelves and freezers everywhere, displaying a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, some of which I recognized were indigenous to planets like Earth, but some were like deadly poison to humans. I felt warning signals go off in Doctor Crusher's mind immediately; at last she was coming to her senses!

I turned to look at Beverly, and her expression was one of deep concern. But before she could say anything, Beeta took Will's arm and began leading him into another room. "The kitchen is in here," she explained, as though giving a tour. "I'll show you where we keep the fish in case that's your preference."

Captain Picard followed them blindly, still smiling, walking with his hands clasped loosely behind his back.

The moment we were alone, Beverly turned to me with a worried expression. I already knew what she was going to ask, so instead of waiting for her to do so, I answered her with a shrug.

"The only thing we can do is make sure everyone stays away from the vegetables over there," I sighed, staring off at row upon row of yellow foods near the door we'd entered through. Then I turned to the cool shelves behind me where many invitingly fresh fruits were just waiting to be consumed. There were dishes and silverware right under the shelf, so I picked up a bowl and started scooping up some red grapes with a large spoon.

Doctor Crusher watched me for a moment. I could feel that she was unsure about all of this. "It's good to be on guard in foreign territory," I said softly to soothe her. "But don't be paranoid, Beverly."

"I guess you're right," she said quietly, nodding slowly. "I think I'll go see what's cooking." She smiled at her own little pun, taking off in the direction Beeta had led the captain and Will.

I plopped a grape into my mouth eagerly before moving on to the raspberries, letting out a surprised murmur of pleasure at the taste; it was delicious!

I'd only gotten a single helping of berries into my bowl before Beverly came running straight at me, grabbing hold of my shoulders tight as she spun me around to face her, her hair wild and her eyes feral.

"Beverly, what--?"

"She's got them! And she's going to.... for... It's _us!_" she gasped frantically. "It's US!"

"What's 'us'? What are you--?"

"Dinner!" she shrieked, shaking. "She's going to cook us!"

I frowned at her, almost frightened by her sudden hysterical outburst. She'd never behaved in such a way before. What horrible thing had happened in the other room in just a few moments?

Suddenly Beverly let out a scream as someone took hold of her arm and gently turned her.

I let out a gasp of my own and nearly dropped my bowl at the sight of him. He was a grotesque alien, with ears at least three feet long that stretched out from the sides of his head and arched slowly downward in a twisting spiral. His body seemed to have no protection, no skin at all, just meaty flesh. His eyes were especially frightening; they were completely at peace in the great mass of unfeasibility. In fact, the entire creature himself seemed at utter calm.

Beverly struggled wildly, nearly shoving into me in her desperation, but the thing's massive black claws gripped her tightly. "No!! You can't eat me!" she screamed.

He seemed, amidst the tranquility of his being, slightly confused, yet amused. "Why, of course not!" He smiled, in a friendly but terrifying way. "_You're_ going to eat _me_."


End file.
